Tennis at the 1968 Summer Olympics

Tennis was on the Olympic Program as a full medal sport from 1896-1924, but it was then dropped from the Olympic Program. Various reasons are given, including that there was concern over the amateur status of the contestants, and also that Wimbledon did not want the Olympic event to overshadow its event. Tennis remained a popular game, worldwide, however, and was demonstrated at the Olympics in both 1968 and 1984, and then returned to the Olympic Program in 1988, and has been an Olympic sport since.

There were two sets of tennis demonstrations held during the 1968 Olympics. The first was held in Guadalajara, at three different clubs, from 14-20 October, with the standard five events (men’s and women’s singles and doubles, and mixed doubles). The second was held in Ciudad de México at the Centro Deportivo Chapultepec from 24-26 October, with the same five events. The quality of play in most of the events was less than top-rate as open tennis began in April 1968, allowing the best professionals to compete and the amateur players in 1968 were not at their level. In addition, of the best amateur players only a few competed in the events.